Maplewood 'militia leader' claims statewide caches of weapons

Just your average nice, quiet guy with an arsenal in his apartment and thousands of rounds of ammo … In the Strib, Pam Louwagie and Richard Meryhew cover the story of our local “militia leader,” saying: “[W]hen federal agents scoured Keith Michael Novak’s Maplewood apartment for four hours Wednesday looking for evidence that he had stolen IDs and personal information from hundreds of military comrades, [Bevalee] Ferguson, the apartment caretaker, was stunned. … The affidavit ... also cites statements Novak made to the undercover agents about hiding guns and weapons ‘throughout the state’ and possible escape routes from his apartment if he were confronted by authorities. ‘I’ve my AK in my bed,’ the affidavit quoted him as saying. ‘If I hear that door kick, it’s going boom, boom, boom … I’ve got something, 5,000 rounds, a thousand of it is in magazines, ready to go.' " Now THAT, folks, is living The Castle Doctrine.

For KMSP-TV. Leah Beno adds: “At Novak's father's home in Wayzata, investigators found more radio reflective camouflage netting and riot gear — and Novak himself told investigators he has an "AK in his bed" and 5,000 various rounds ready to go. ‘He's got a couple of military rifles — AR-15s, 223 sniper rifle,’ Donnie Ferguson confirmed. ‘I thought, 'Well, it's kind of weird having all these guns.' It entered my mind, you know, but I thought, 'Well, maybe, the guy likes protection’. Now, neighbors admit they aren't sure what to think. ‘You just never know who you are living around, who is capable of putting on that type of a show,’ Donnie Ferguson said. The complaint also details some of the military-style field training Novak allegedly coordinated in rural Minnesota just three months ago.” For when the South Dakotans attack, I’m guessing.

Amy Forliti’s AP story says: “The affidavit gave some details about Novak's militia activities — alleging he used a cellphone and laptop to encrypt radio communications, attended military-style training in rural Minnesota and slept with guns and threatened to shoot at authorities if arrested. Suzanne Fackler, a neighbor of Novak's father, said Novak and his dad moved into her Wayzata neighborhood in 2006, when Novak was 17. The younger Novak no longer lives there and she said she last saw him in the summer of 2012, when he was running with a backpack that he told her weighed 60 to 80 pounds. ‘He was jogging with the dog, and he was doing it every day just to keep in shape,’ she said. ‘He's a good kid ... a friendly guy.' " Anyone care to speculate on his primary sources of information?

That … is a lot of bull.The Forum News service reports: “The rack of a massive bull elk shot this fall in northwest Minnesota has been scored by a certified measurer for the Boone and Crockett Club, and it’s all but official the trophy will be the highest-scoring elk ever taken by hunting in Minnesota. Brad Penas of Moorhead shot the 6x7 bull Sept. 14 in Kittson County. Paul Agre, a Greenbush taxidermist, green-scored the rack at 391 inches in September.” “Dear, come see what I mounted in the living room.”

A case like this is why we pay them the big money … Dave Chanen of the Strib writes: “Minnesota Supreme Court justices had lobbed question after question about the intricate legal merits of an unusual drunken-driving case at the attorney standing before them Thursday when suddenly the discussion turned to the human element. What if, Justice David Lillehaug asked the lawyer representing the state Department of Public Safety, somebody put a gun to an intoxicated person’s head and told him to drive, resulting in revocation of the driver’s license? With little hesitation, attorney John Galus said he would instruct his grandmother, wife or daughter to violate the law in such a case. But minutes later, he was arguing the opposite in the drunken-driving and domestic-abuse case of Jennifer Axelberg, who sat quietly in the back of the courtroom.”

Parents of the Week … Paul Walsh of the Strib reports: “A mom and dad left their baby alone for at least 45 minutes in a car — engine running and heat on — while they went into a small-town bar in Dakota County late one freezing night last week, and now authorities are weighing charges against the couple, according to the sheriff. … The parents emerged from the saloon and were confronted by sheriff’s deputies who were alerted to the situation by others in the bar, [Sheriff Dave] Bellows said. The two claimed they were inside for only a few minutes, the sheriff said, but witnesses said the time the baby was left alone was anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour.” Barely enough time for three, four drinks and the drive home.

Stock tip: Buy railroads.Mike Nowatzki of the Forum News Service says: “North Dakota’s top oil regulator said railcars could move up to 90 percent of the oil produced in the state next year as differences in crude prices make rail more lucrative for operators than shipping by pipeline. ‘We’re expecting 2014 to be soft in the crude price scenario, and so railcars are going to be absolutely vital to what we do in North Dakota,’ Lynn Helms, director of the state Department of Mineral Resources, said Thursday. North Dakota is the nation’s No. 2 oil-producing state behind Texas, with total daily output projected to top 1 million barrels by early next year. Railcars carried about 63 percent of the state’s oil production in September.”

The AP reports: “Police are investigating whether a Fargo-Moorhead TV journalist broke any laws while reporting a story aimed at revealing holes in elementary school security. Valley News Live reporter Mellaney Moore on Wednesday walked around schools in Fargo and West Fargo in North Dakota and in Moorhead, Minn., without permission. Some school officials told the Forum newspaper that the TV report showed poor judgment and a disregard for rules. … Fargo Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Schatz told The Forum that the TV reporter's disregard for the rules concerns him, but that her story also has prompted district officials to discuss school safety.” Here’s the TV story.

Comments (3)

Confederate flag sticker on car, owning a few assault rifles and a sniper rifle. Yeah, easy to see how you would be shocked. No sign whatsoever of anything concerning. Would love to have someone like that as my neighbor.